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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. wake — a trail
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. root — of a word
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. root — the cause
  11. sharp — clever
  12. band — a music group
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. vault — a safe
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. band — a ring
  20. root — of a plant
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. lash — an eyelash

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com